Ken Ohrn:
As we debate the nature of change in Vancouver, we must confront those who wish to preserve “character” — an idea of past value that must not be changed.
Here’s an example, for me, of how this goes wrong. The Bowmac sign. Somehow, somewhere, someone has decided that this asinine reminder of a row of car dealerships on Broadway in Vancouver represents something that we should cherish, and that must be preserved. Except that it can be mostly covered over with signage from a US-based big-box retailer.
That “someone” is the City of Vancouver, whose Heritage Commission granted the sign heritage status in May of 1997.
Not all “character” should be preserved; times change, and the nature of the city must change along with it.
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PriceTags:
I was one of the councillors at the time who voted to preserve the sign, on the recommendation of many in the heritage community (and others) who thought this piece of Vancouver’s past worthy of keeping. The trade-off was the ‘Toys-R-Us’ scrim – easily removable – that allowed for the restoration of the ‘iconic’ sign of a Broadway past.
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The combination BowMac and Toys “R” Us sign on West Broadway is both treasured and reviled by Vancouver residents. The sign’s current incarnation is a result of many compromises.
Owners of the Bowell McLean (BowMac) car dealership erected the 10-storey sign above their business in 1958. The orange sign was covered with hundreds of bulbs and neon lights. It was recognized as North America’s largest freestanding sign, and was visible from 18 miles away.
When Toys “R” Us purchased the BowMac property in the 1990s, they planned to demolish the sign. Heritage advocates protested that the BowMac sign was Vancouver’s largest, most visible, and most central neon sign.
The sign was designated a heritage landmark in 1997. It was retained, gently lit, and partially covered by a perforated metal sign with Toys “R” Us spelled in rainbow-coloured back-lit plastic letters.
I love the damned sign. I dont know why. Maybe because its a “both and” solution. There are so few of those, bastardized or not.
I just chalk it up as a quirk of the system. The fact it’s a mishmash, in itself, adds “character.
Now, if you REALY want character – why not re-install:
– the “The SUN” sign to the top and sides of the Sun Tower,
– the “Shell” or “76” signs to the top of the Vancouver Block, or
– the “HOTEL VANCOUVER” sign on the south side of the Hotel Vancouver (like Toronto’s Royal York still has, and is cherished by that City, which protested when Fairmont proposed taking it down, resulting in a change to “Fairmont Royal York”).
I’m sure those were “landmark” in their day and would have been visible further away than the BowMac sign.
There is definitely a trade off. What concerns me most is whether the preservationist mindset will prevent progress.
The world changes. Society changes. Individuals change. Why is it wrong that our surroundings cannot change as well?
Too often ‘heritage committees’ are self absorbed special interest groups that wish for the city/community to never stray from that idyllic situation that they recall it to be.
Will there ever be a chance of demolishing these preserved ‘icons’ at some distant point in history? Should a natural disaster destroy these ‘icons’, will society be forced to spend money to restore them?
I do not despise history, but I find we spend too much time looking backwards and living in the past. The past is over. The good ole days simply were not necessarily that great.
For those of us who have lived in Vancouver all our lives, the Bowmac sign has indisputable heritage value as iconic of Vancouver. It also has collector’s value as a vintage sign with technological and historical significance. I have always loved the sign, both aesthetically and sentimentally; I remember visiting the used car lot with my father (now deceased) and deliberating over the purchase of the next family car. Preserving it, along with the Woodwards “W” is respectful of long-standing, representational businesses in the city, and they help to remind people and connect them to the identity of Vancouver as a unique city with its own landmarks and icons of distinction. I was, and am, horrified with the application of the Toys R Us sign placed over the Bowmac sign, such that it is now barely visible, defeating the purpose of maintaining it. Why not move the Bowmac sign to one of our museums or to an outside location where it can be viewed in its entirety? Incidentally, I was also horrified by the removal of the Aristocratic sign and restaurant at the corner of Broadway and Granville in 1997, which was similarly iconic to those of us who remember. Progress comes from learning about the past and synthesizing the benefits of the old and new.
I’m with those who like this very made-in-Vancouver approach. Layered history is still history, not just a moment in time.
The greatness of the BowMac sign was it’s Fifties shimmering neon lit gaudiness at night. While I understand the compromise necessary for its preservation, that mid century exuberance was lost.
We have to remember that the original proposal was to remove the Bow-Mac name and replace it with the toy company letters. An impasse was reached where the heritage staff couldn’t and wouldn’t support the proposed change to the sign and Toys R Us looked at demolition. That’s where the compromise came from.
There were six different options presented on how to overlay the Toys R Us sign on top of the Bow-Mac sign (drawn over a weekend to meet the toy company’s deadline). Many tried to minimize the coverage of the existing sign and offer a counterpoint to the tall rectangle. Some were quite interesting and would have been a great addition to the street. The desire to do something creative came from the heritage staff unfortunately, further up the food chain at the City it was decided to choose the most conservative option. The Toys R Us sign was designed to be removed easily without damage to the Bow-Mac sign at a time when the property comes up for redevelopment and the sign is restored.
Goofy yes, but totally Vancouver.
It’s interesting that the preservationists (with some foresight) took the view that the 1-storey ToysRUs store would be largely “temporary” until it is redeveloped, and that the ToysRUs incarnation of the sign would also be temporary – a blip in the preservation of the original.
It would be interesting to see the BOWMAC sign appear, in future, as a “fin” projecting from the facade of an office block on the site. I say office block rather than residential, because then there may be a chance the sign may be re-lit.
I really want to know more about the PREVIOUS Bowell-Mclean sign that sat on the roof of the BURRARD street dealer, ca 1950s-1060s. You can see it in this postcard here: https://flic.kr/p/pSgtif It featured a bird (much like today’s Twitter bird) with a large clock on its belly, and a large billboard which provided a weather report, and apparently also told the temperature. I asked Jimmy Pattison if he had more photos somewhere, but regretfully he did not. Car dealers on Burrard street are also largely forgotten; this one was where the Burrard SkyTrain station is today. If anyone finds more photos of this bird sign, please feel free to send them to me! jmv on twitter or flickr.
The reality is that it is there, and will remain there as a landmark. So despite Kenny’s compulsion to “confront,” that angst is best directed towards a highway crash cushion.
Toys & their sign could be gone sooner than you think. Corporately, they’re in trouble.
Look, for the last decade, built heritage in Canada has been focussed on preservation of that which is SIGNIFICANT and not which is simply OLD. The goal is to effectively tell the story of the past of a place. So, a unique, mid-century modern deserves more than a cheap, rotting Edwardian.
Hey Vanny: I agree with you.
“The essential problem with this region is that it’s ‘character’ needs to evolve. And because that natural change has been artificially surpressed, it now needs to do that in significant steps. That’s the only way the carefree adolescence of Vancouver can face some of the harsh realities of adulthood.”
And what is a highway crash cushion?